The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-06-24
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~ - unlGeky day for me-
sAs not born till ten years
B IA isl,en that biz cellar door
III htnsd 10. ana ripped Oh tho end Of
sslIafeasets ! littls finger At the early
4 ~ cf ssvsn.
ss 2arparet was passionately foad OF
Z lntsiG but shs could not sing, and her
{ encounter with the door prevented
ssher iron being 1 iirst-tate performer
! on the piano. Sine would not content
hsfss,t With anything short OF perfec-
stIon; md 10 for years long and many
the music within her found no utter
aDce. At last, after a few gray hairs
beaan to show themselves among her
thick brown braids, Prot. Mohr ad.
vised her TO learn tho violin.
sss We werespending some happy years
together in Germany. Margaret play
ing the role Of guardian erimalkin to
My kittenish innocence. We were not
I related, bnt as inseparable as the
4 ladies' Of Langollen. took drawing
lessons. and we were both deep in Ian
4 glaanes. IN onr free hours we were care.
less and happy a. lambs in clover.un.
tii Prof Mohrs nnlucky suggestion
started Us on I he road to despair.
We wess staying in Munich when
this misfortune overlook US. Margar-
B 8 VAS fired with enthusiasm at the
thought Of possibly being good mu.
sician At last. She was past 80. and
for 4 while tortured herself with fears
that this was 100 old to begin to learn
anything so difficult As the violin.
But they raked up for her benefit
many instances OF musical prodigies
turned out late In life, TO the aston
ishment of the world and themselves.
Perseverance,, aptitude and health
would do wonders.
Convinced Mt last OF the wisdom OF
her undertaking, and radiant with
hope, Margaret engaged master at
more marks an hour than would have
psid for half g week OF operas in the
Gallerie Noble. She next commits.
stoned some old yirtuoso and dealers
IN musical Instruments to ferret out
Tor her q good violin from beneath the
dust and rubbish of ages. No easy
matter this. for Margaret had read
sdsepiy on the subject. and would be
content with nothing OF a later date
than the seventeenth century; and the
raining of the cunninglY mosaiced
scyamors must undulate under its
golden varnish like the setting sum-
'Iner sun on cloud and wave."
Az the expiration OF a week Herr
I BrAtWnrst wrote from tho Tyrol, de-
scribing with flowery extravaganza
the Jewel 0i an instrument he had un-
earthsd at Brixen, among the goods
and schat tells Of an 1sraelitish gentle.
man ia the old clothes business. When
fonnd, this prize was q wreck. gone to
pisc1a under blllows OF fiin,sy satin
gowns and theatrical coats OF cotton
velvet; but carefully set together again
BY the magic hand of q BrAtwurst, it
WAS worthy OF Tarisio himself. A
fragment at the back bore the precious
inscription, "Antonius StrAdivariue
Crem0nensis Faciebat, Ammo 1861"
And u portion OF the instrument at
least might be regarded as tho work OF
this master. II was In shapeN "Long
AStrAd. and was q marvellous COM
hihAtton OF sycamore, Swiss pine and
lemon tres. The yarnish was de-
light to khe eye and the tone--bnt hers
words Tailed for description. The su.
anreina moment arrived when, Margar-
ct was tO see this wonder, and decide
whether or not she might call it her
own. II seemed like opening o. long
buried coffin. they wers 30 serious
about nndoina its box, which looked
No worn and shabby.
Margaret WAS ppeechles with delight
when Professor Mohr played upon it,
went into technical Taptures, and
eventually paid for it, s,nillingly, the
price Of Two good pianos. Connois.
selrs, even those not interested, said
II closely resembled an authentic
stradivarius, and as such was a bar.
rain; so * kept my surprise locked in
my ignorant bosom.
Margaret bought for her Jewels
beautiful polished and inlaid mahog-
any case. lined with blue velvet. I, IN
n burst OF enthusiasm, embroidered
= Addle blanket Of fine blue cloth, on
which / executed in gold thread the
treble clef, and Marparet's initials, NJ.
"A. q. In beautiful silks. A spray OF
flowers was depicted beneath, and I
thought the whole thinga masterpiece
81 originality and skill. It was fined
with satin. quilted, wadded and per.
sfnmed: and the case. with it's blank
.ets, would have made nice bed for
one OF the rolypoly 6avarian princel-
snRs we saw IN the street with their
squadron OF nursemaids.
Strange, nncouth sounds began now
To issue from our little dwelling. It
was . musical atnosphere where we
lived and people were prepared for
the spasmodic wailing and sharp
aepitefail yells produced by a beginner
ON ths violin. Otherwise should
have been ashamed.
Margaret worked with feverish en-.
eray, and ! must confess that she
made rapid progress. From early
morning TIL as late at night rs the
police regilAtions allowed she fddleti
Assi for her lite She sawed the emp
~ air with her bow to exercise cer-
tain elbow mncles; played before the
mirror to break herself OF making
hldeous faces, which caused me great
delight; racked her brains over har-
smony, and split her own ears and
mine with studies ahead of
her capacities, Her energy drove
me 10 greater activity in rny drawing,
which. however. did not bring increas.
|sd paeaslre. There must have been
Eoinsthing wrong in my character
that / was not happier for this furious
emnlatiou Of the busy bee. Margaret
often said, witha shake Of the head:
q II were eighteen like you, Kate, in.
stxad III twice that age. would mako
s.sss.s ss.ss ...yssl.ss. Z, Then, asham.
"a 81 neglsctina my opportunities. 1
would 90 up on the root and sketch
clouds. while the other girls went off
fossa ransbls in the solitude.
We gave up going to drink coffee of
m afternoon in the Hof Garten.
gqss. /